Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.

Given the team's current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees' overall future?

I gave a 5. If CC is not under contract, we don’t have an ace. Last time we tried that was 2008. Not a favorable outcome. We don’t have a true #2 either. Another offseason, another search for starters. This year, our “ace” is in question again. Hopefully, he re-signs. If not, it gets really ugly very fast.

On the farm, we have reasonable question marks in Banuelos, Betances and Brackman. Noesi looks very close to being ready for consistent MLB work. We don’t know what Warren or Phelps could do at the MLB level yet, as the organization hasn’t given them a shot. Outfield depth, has no one on the near horizon who could potentially be a starter. Infield wise, the same. Catching, we’re loaded.

Esteban

With CC opting out and with all the changes at RAB, my confidence has definitely been shaken. Yanks really should go after BIG CARP

JohnnyC

He signed a 2 year extension the last week of the season. Also, he may need arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. Yeah, but Yanks really should go after him. Really.

Jumpin’ Jack Swisher (formerly Jorge)

….and he’s on the wrong side of 35.

If he was an FA, I’d throw a nice two-year contract at him, but nothing should distract the team from locking up CC for the rest of his, um, life.

Esteban

I was joking around, sorry. I thought the tone of my comment was pretty sarcastic.

CP

I didn’t know that fish had elbows.

Jumpin’ Jack Swisher (formerly Jorge)

9. Nothing has still changed. Bring back the big man, and NOW.

http://twitter.com/andrewjcalagna Drew

new writers = 2 on confidence poll

Pants Lendelton

Now that La Russa retired … That’s one less manager that Girardi could possibly find himself outmanaged by. I raised it to a 8 just off of that alone.

Andy In Sunny Daytona

Where is Eduardo Saverin’s name on the masthead?

The Big City of Dreams

Love that movie.

UYF1950

For 2012 I give it a 6 on the overall confidence level w/o CC, a 7 w/CC but an 8 plus if the Yankees could sign another quality starter in addition to resigning CC. I think Nova will settle in as a solid #3 going forward but right now it looks like Hughes and AJ are #(s) 4 and 5. Flip a coin which is which. In my opinion the Yankees really don’t have a #2 behind CC assuming they resign him.
For 2013 I think the future looks really bright. For a couple of reason. First AJ only has 1 year left on his contract and maybe the Yankees can find someone to pawn him off on. I think Noesi and one of the Killer “B” will be contributing at might a say a very, very low cost. That should enable the sign a legit #2 to the rotation and probably save money on their payroll.

I could really get excited about a 2013 starting rotation that features: CC, a solid #2, Nova, then probably Hughes, Noesi and a Killer “B” probably Banuelos fighting it out for the last 2 spots. Assuming they trade AJ and have to eat part of his last years salary.

But let’s get past this upcoming year first.

theyankeewarrior

CC is a liar! He opted out! And we brought back that choke Swisher?? I’m at a 2!

But in all seriousness, the farm is in a great place. We’re coming off a season in which we almost won 100 games, and Cashman is about to re-up. I vote 8. Here’s to trading Betances for Danks and the scouting dept./FO making the right decision on one of CJ/Edwin/Yu.

UYF1950

yankeewarrier – are you assuming in your last sentence that CC is NOT in the rotation going forward?

Because if he is in the rotation the Yankees wouldn’t need 3 left handed starters in your possible scenario. I think in that case CJ Wilson is out of the equation for the Yankees. If CC stays which I think ultimately he will at 6 years/$150M. I’d love to see Danks but even more so I’d like to see the Yankees take a flyer on Darvish at the right price (for me that’s a combined $75 to $90M total posting and 5 year deal). I only see the Yankees possibly signing 1 FA in CC stays in the fold. That could be Danks via a trade or even possibly Gio Gonzalez from the A’s via a trade or like I said possible an effort to sign Darvish. Who knows, I’m sure we will find out more in the next couple of weeks. It should be fun.

theyankeewarrior

I think CC will be around. And I would prefer Danks and Yu. But if my advanced scouts thought CJ Wilson was going to keep posting ~3ERA’s for the next 3-4 seasons, I would love to have 3 LHP in the rotation named Sabathia, Danks and Wilson. There are much worse problems to have.

BK2ATL

Pretty good article on the pros and cons that CC could be weighing. It actually makes sense.

Over the weekend Mike wrote a mailbag piece on how Boston’s in better shape than everyone thinks they are, I’m gonna have to disagree. Everyone thinks that they have all this money coming off the books and they’ll be able to fill their holes to get back to a playoff team. I just don’t see how that’s true, Gonzalez’s raise accounts for JD Drew’s salary. Unless they want to lose the best DH in baseball they’ll need to give David Ortiz a raise, and Papelbon, as much as we hate him, is one of the best relievers in baseball.

They need a new right fielder, and while Jacoby Ellsbury was one of the best players in baseball, he had a 17% HR/FB ratio which was right about Joey Votto’s…you’re honestly telling me that he has as much power as Joey Votto? He hit 30 HRs and he probably won’t see 20 ever again. Carl Crawford will likely improve, but Crawford’s improvements will be mitigated by Ellsbury’s regression. Yeah they might go after Sizemore or Beltran, but there will be plenty of competition for those two players.

The rotation? Josh Beckett has been pretty injury prone throughout his career. Yeah he had a superhuman 2011, but he’s on the wrong side of 30 has an injury history and honestly, would anyone be surprised if he throws up a 150 IP season with an ERA slightly under 4? Sure that’s a fairly good season, but it’s not his inhuman 2011. Clay Buchholz only has one season where he could be compared to anything close to a full season. He’s consistently injured, his strikeout rates aren’t what they were as a minor leaguer, and I don’t see him as a lock really either. Diasuke Matsuzaka, another oft injured starter that also has the extra problem of not being able to find the strikezone. Yeah, it’s probably better than what New York has, but still…gross.

The DH/3B situation also needs to be resolved. Kevin Youkilis, again, another player on the wrong side of 30 that’s always struggled with injuries throughout his career…but he went UP the defensive spectrum not down like he should have. His body probably can’t handle playing third everyday. DH seems like a natural move, and it’s open with David Ortiz. The issue with doing that is, that you need a new third basemen…Aramis Ramirez is available, but he’ll require a bad contract and he’s another guy that’s a good bet not be able to play third everyday by the end of his deal. David Ortiz was an extremely productive DH aside from his one down season, he’s probably a better hitter than Kevin Youkilis and he’s due for a raise. Toronto, LA, Baltimore, and a few other teams might be looking at him to improve their DH situation.

They have lots of money coming off the books, but a good chunk of it is mitigated by Gonzalez’s raise. There’s also issues of other contractual raises, arbitration (Ellsbury could be due for a huge raise) they’re on track to add some big money to the payroll.

How does this relate to the Yankees’ situation? Well, while they are going to need to give CC a raise and they need another starter or two after that, that’s not all that bad of a situation to be in. They can pay CC more than anyone else, and there’s Yu Darvish and CJ Wilson available for a two starter, and there’s plenty of capable guys on the FA market and trade market to fit into the 3/4 role. They’re in a lot better boat than Boston’s in, I think that we should keep that in mind.

Ted Nelson

I don’t think that the Yankees are in any better boat. The Red Sox collapsed last season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t improve their rotation and not collapse in 2012.

Who is signing 36 year old Ortiz to DH for more than the $12.5 mill he made in 2011?

Youk played more games in 2011 as a 3B than he played in 2010 as a 1B. Where’s the proof 3B is the problem?

Their offense wasn’t the problem anyway. Their offense is very good. They might look for an upgrade or platoon-mate, but Josh Reddick in RF isn’t their biggest problem. Pitching is. Like the Yankees, they need to address pitching.

BK2ATL

Ortiz will get at least the $12.5 million/yr in FA. He had a pretty productive year and there are teams that need that kind of production, even if he’s 36 yo.

Jimmy McNulty

I don’t think that the Yankees are in any better boat. The Red Sox collapsed last season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t improve their rotation and not collapse in 2012.

Never said that it didn’t but when were talking about big bad contracts and little roster flexibility isn’t exclusive to the Yankees. The Red Sox also suffer from it, but unlike the Yankees the Red Sox seem to be afraid of crossing a certain threshold with payroll.

Who is signing 36 year old Ortiz to DH for more than the $12.5 mill he made in 2011?

Toronto showed some interest, and with players like Brett Lawrie, Jose Bautista, Yunel Escobar, and Colby Rasmus adding a player like Ortiz to that line up could allow them to contend for a WC spot. LA needs someone that can hit their way out of a paper bag, and with Abreu leaving and Ortiz looking as good as ever…that’s another natural fit. Seattle showed interest, and I can see the Twins being interested in bringing him back to Minnesota.

Youk played more games in 2011 as a 3B than he played in 2010 as a 1B. Where’s the proof 3B is the problem?

Jesus Ted…I think you’ve surpassed “CC lied” as the biggest tool on the blog. Lets see…wrong side of 30? Check. History of injuries? Check. Playing a more physically demanding position? Check. It’s gotten to the point where we can say that Youkilis is injury prone, moving him up the spectrum isn’t doing him any favors.

Their offense wasn’t the problem anyway. Their offense is very good. They might look for an upgrade or platoon-mate, but Josh Reddick in RF isn’t their biggest problem. Pitching is. Like the Yankees, they need to address pitching.

No offense wasn’t the problem, I never suggested that it was. However, Adrian Gonzalez had a .380 BABIP last season, unless your name is Ichiro that isn’t sustainable. That’ll regress and maybe he’ll regain his power and plate discipline to make up for it, but if his BABIP goes back to a career norm or a sustainable number that’s production they’re losing. They’ll also lose production from Ellsbury and perhaps Ortiz too. Their offense will be plenty good still, but in baseball you need to either score more runs or allow fewer runs in order to improve your team. Their offense looks like it’ll be scoring fewer.

UYF1950

Just a word of caution on who might be interested in Ortiz. He’s a Type A Free Agent. I find it hard to believe that many if any team is going to give up a 1st round and supplemental draft pick to sign a 1 way 36 year old DH to a contract never mind a 2 year $25M deal at a minimum. Regardless of how well he performed last year. If the Sox offer him arbitration and he declines I think his options of signing somewhere else are almost non existent. Just my opinion.